Cervical Screening Awareness Week is an annual event which will run from 15th to 21st June 2020. The week aims to highlight the importance of regular cervical screening for women's health. Cervical cancer is the most common form of cancer in women under 35 with two women in the UK per day dying from the disease.
What is Cervical Screening? (Also known as a smear test)
Cervical screening is a free health test available on the NHS as part of the national cervical screening programme. It helps prevent cervical cancer by checking for a virus called high-risk HPV and cervical cell changes. It is not a test for cancer. It checks for a virus called high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) and, if you have HPV, cervical cell changes (abnormal cells). If these types of HPV are found during screening (an HPV positive result), the sample of cells is then checked for abnormal changes. If abnormal cells are not treated, they may turn into cervical cancer.
Deciding whether to be screened is always a personal choice, and the aim of the campaign was to raise awareness of the risks of cervical cancer and highlight the preventative benefits of screening to improve attendance across England. It is your choice whether to go for cervical screening. We hope this information helps you make the best decision for you and your health.
Who gets invited for a screening?
You should be invited for cervical screening if you have a cervix. Women are usually born with a cervix. Trans men, non-binary and intersex people may also have one.
In the UK, you are automatically invited for cervical screening if you are:
- between the ages of 25 to 64
- registered as female with a GP surgery.
You may get your first invite up to 6 months before you turn 25. You can book an appointment as soon as you get the invite.
Cervical screening and Coronavirus
The Cervical Screening Programme in England is currently sending out invites.
The Cervical Screening Programmes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are currently paused, so no invites are being sent. This is to limit the spread of coronavirus, and protect you and health workers.
Read more here about testing and coronavirus
Because of COVID-19, you might have to wait longer to get an invitation or a follow-up appointment for screening. There might also be changes to what happens at your appointment. This includes the staff following strict guidance on infection control to protect you and themselves. This means that you won’t be able to take someone with you to your appointment. Your results might be delayed, so ask at your appointment how long it might take and who to contact if you haven’t heard in that time. It’s important to remember that screening is for healthy people with no symptoms. If you notice any unusual changes to your body that don’t go away, talk to your doctor. In most cases it won’t be cancer, but it’s best to get it checked out.
You are invited for cervical screening because evidence shows that the benefits of the test outweigh any risks. Along with the HPV vaccine, cervical screening is the best way to protect against cervical cancer and prevents over 7 in 10 diagnoses. However, like any screening test, cervical screening is not perfect and there are some risks.
HPV Vaccination
Since 2008, girls aged 12 and 13 have been offered a vaccination against the human papilloma virus (HPV). This is to protect against cancers caused by HPV, such as cervical cancer. The vaccine works best in young people, before they are likely to have come into contact with the virus.
Here is some information about the process of a smear test, where they collect cells from and how they carry out the screening along with what they are actually looking at:
What happens at a cervical screening?
How is a cervical screening done?
Cervical screening tips
The Cervix
Cervical screening and results
About HPV
How people get HPV
HPV & Cervical Cancer
Abnormal cells 
As well as going for screening when you are invited, you still need to look out for any unusual changes to your body. Check for:
- abnormal bleeding (such as bleeding between periods)
- vaginal discharge that smells unpleasant
- pain during sex
See your doctor if you notice anything unusual. There are many conditions that can cause these symptoms. Most of them are much more common than cervical cancer. But it is important to get your symptoms checked out.
Cervical Screenings Saves Lives
Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust
If you have a question, want reliable information or just need to hear a friendly voice then call Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust:
Helpline: 0808 802 8000
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